Lisa Drage, operations manager at Evergoods, told Personnel Today: “We were not aware of her age. We have been in touch with her and have expressed our concern that our database isn’t as accurate as it could be. We also told her if she had any friends trained as social workers they would be welcome to get in touch.”

She added: “We have a lot of roles to fill, there are always positions to be filled in social care at the moment.”

The company used a database of previous employees to send out letters and e-mails advertising the positions they have on offer, when MacArthur’s name was picked up.

MacArthur, who lives in Cardiff, told Wales Online: “I knew they were desperate for social workers, but I didn’t think they were this desperate!”